Emergency Management Conference Held at Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY – Four lawmakers and local, state and federal emergency management responders and officials took part in an emergency management conference in the House Chamber today.

State Rep. Joe Dorman said the point of the conference was to ensure a coordinated response to natural disasters.

“Here in Oklahoma we always have a natural disaster just around the corner,” Dorman, D-Rush Springs, said. “The conference brings the federal , state, and local components of emergency response together in the same room to ensure that they get to know one another and can coordinator their efforts when the next ice storm or tornado or wildfire hits.” State Rep. Mike Sanders said that efficiency is achieved with the coordination of federal, state, and local responders.

“Government is at its best when the right hand knows what the left hand is doing,” Sanders, R-Kingfisher, said. “Firefighters are already a band of brothers, so it only makes sense that their efforts across the state would be coordinated.”

State Reps. Gus Blackwell and Eric Proctor also attended the meeting.

“I think this conference was an opportunity to narrow response times and improve recovery efforts,” Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said. “Ultimately, that means greater safety and less hardship for those Oklahomans affected by natural disasters.”

“This was a great way to build on the state and local responses to natural disasters,” Proctor, D-Tulsa, said. “I look forward to taking part in this event annually.”

Presentations included an update on the new Incident Management Teams, county Incident Support Teams and local incident management; an overview on local incident command and leadership training; FEMA funding tips and background; and a rundown of several incidents that have occurred in Oklahoma.

Speakers included Mustang Fire Chief Carl Hickman and City of Moore Finance Director Jim Corbett; David Barnes, the Oklahoma County emergency management director and president of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association; Albert Ashwood, director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management; Kerry Pettingill, director of the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security; and Jon Hansen, the executive director of the Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training.